Title of article :
Striatal Dysfunction in Schizophrenia and Unaffected Relatives
Author/Authors :
Matthijs Vink، نويسنده , , Nick F. Ramsey، نويسنده , , Mathijs Raemaekers، نويسنده , , René S. Kahn، نويسنده ,
Issue Information :
روزنامه با شماره پیاپی سال 2006
Abstract :
Background
Schizophrenia has been frequently associated with impaired inhibitory control. Such control is known to involve the striatum. Here, we investigate whether impaired inhibitory control is associated with abnormal striatal activation in schizophrenia. First-degree relatives of patients were also tested to examine whether striatal abnormality is associated with schizophrenia, or with the risk for the illness.
Methods
Both functional MRI and behavioral data were acquired during a task designed to invoke inhibitory control in 21 patients, 15 unaffected siblings, and 36 matched controls. Subjects must refrain from responding to designated stop cues occurring within a series of motor cues. Subjects could anticipate the occurrence of stop cues as the likelihood of these cues increased in a linear fashion throughout the task.
Results
Control subjects showed striatal activation while responding to motor cues. This activation increased in a linear fashion when the likelihood of having to inhibit the response was increased. Both patients siblings did not show anticipation-related increase in either striatal activation. However, only patients showed behavioral impairments.
Conclusions
Striatal abnormalities occur in schizophrenia patients and unaffected siblings. Thus striatal abnormalities may be related to an increased (genetic) risk to develop schizophrenia.
Keywords :
Functional MRI , Schizophrenia , Striatum , genetics , Inhibition
Journal title :
Biological Psychiatry
Journal title :
Biological Psychiatry